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Morning: Arrivals at Charles de Gaulle airport and transfers to the hotel. Please note that rooms are not generally available until early to mid-afternoon, so you should plan to drop off your luggage at the hotel and then take some time to explore Paris or relax and have a leisurely lunch on your own. There are Paris maps available at the hotel, and your Group Leader and hotel staff will be present to provide recommendations and directions.

Afternoon: Check into the hotel and take some time to unpack and relax before orientation. We will gather in our private meeting room in the early evening where the Group Leader will greet you with a warm welcome and introduce everyone. We will review the up-to-date daily schedule and any changes, discuss responsibilities, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. Please be aware that program activities and scheduled times could change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: Welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Evening: A neighborhood walk will introduce you to the area around the hotel.

Note: Today's activities include walking and standing in the museum at your own pace, as well as Paris metro use.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Your Paris expert will present a lecture titled, "History of Paris: Capital of France." Afterwards, we will depart by coach for a city tour of Paris. Enjoy a panoramic overview of Paris' monuments and most famous sites, while your Paris expert continues a discussion of the city's history and its architecture throughout the ages.

Lunch: At a local restaurant near the Louvre.

Afternoon: We will take a field trip to the Louvre, the largest royal palace built in the 16th century. It was enlarged in the 17th century and turned into a museum after the French Revolution. Visit the Louvre at your own pace, using Road Scholar’s exclusively customized MP3 audio-guide. We will then return to the hotel using the Paris metro.

Day Four: Monday, October 27 - Montmartre: History, Art, and the Bohemian Life

Note: Today's activities include use of the Paris Metro, which may comprise of unavoidable stairs. On foot visits to Montmartre and Sacre-Coeur contain walking on pavement and cobblestones for up to 1.5 hours.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: There will be a lecture titled, “French Society and France’s Political System.” We will then depart on foot and use the Paris metro and the Montmartre funicular on a field trip to the Basilique du Sacré Coeur to examine the history of its construction, the amazing murals that decorate its interior – not paintings, but intricately constructed mosaics – and take in the views over Paris from the city’s highest geographical location.

Lunch: At a restaurant in Montmartre.

Afternoon: We will continue exploring the tiny streets and squares of Montmartre. Discover the meeting places where the artists gathered at the end of the 19th century and learn about the neighborhood’s Bohemian traditions. We will then return to the hotel on the metro.

Note: Today's activities include use of Paris metro, which may comprise of unavoidable stairs. Visits to L'île de la Cité and Latin Quarter on foot includes walking on pavement and cobblestones for up to 1.5 hours.

Afternoon: Enjoy a walking lecture titled, "May 1968" from which you will learn the history and long-term effects of this eventful period in Paris while you explore the Latin Quarter. Here, you will find the biggest university complex in France and one of the oldest universities in the world, La Sorbonne, which is dedicated to Literature, Languages, Civilizations, Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Walk the streets of this neighborhood to examine the medieval foundations of the quarter’s churches and small pedestrian streets, Cluny Convent, La Sorbonne, and the Pantheon. You may return to the hotel on the metro at your leisure.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: View Paris from the Seine River, a completely different perspective, during a boat cruise.

Description: A charming hotel that upholds the Lyon tradition of hospitality and prestige with an ideal location, it is conveniently located in the center of town just a stone's throw from Lyon Perrache Main Train and Metro Stations. The Best Western Charlemagne Hotel offers a mix of modernity and tradition at the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône rivers.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Day Six: Wednesday, October 29 - High-Speed Train to Lyon and the Beaujolais Wine ...

Note: Today's activities include travel by train with luggage.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will check out of the Paris hotel and then take the TGV, the high-speed train, to Lyon. We will then head out into the picturesque villages and vineyards of the Beaujolais. The Beaujolais region is the most southern part of the Burgundy vineyards and wine has been produced in this region since Roman times. Learn what differentiates Beaujolais from other red wines during a tasting.

Lunch: At a local restaurant in the Beaujolais.

Afternoon: We will depart by coach to visit a wine château for a tasting. We will then depart by coach to check in at the Lyon hotel.

Description: A charming hotel that upholds the Lyon tradition of hospitality and prestige with an ideal location, it is conveniently located in the center of town just a stone's throw from Lyon Perrache Main Train and Metro Stations. The Best Western Charlemagne Hotel offers a mix of modernity and tradition at the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône rivers.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Day Seven: Thursday, October 30 - Old Lyon

Note: Today's activities include use of the Lyon subway and tramway, with some unavoidable stairs. A visit to the Lyon historic district on foot includes walking on pavement and cobblestones for up to 1.5 hours.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will have a lecture titled, "History and Economy of the City of Lyon." Afterwards, we will explore the old town of Lyon on foot, from the Place de Terreaux to the Place de Bellecour. Walk through the fascinating “traboules." Although a couple of Old Lyon's traboules date from Roman times, most were constructed by silk weavers in the 19th century to facilitate the transport of silk in bad weather. Resistance fighters found them equally useful during WWII. Take the funicular up to La Fourvière to enjoy the view over the city.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: On a pedi-cab ride, contrast the historic center of Old Lyon with the new architectural developments of La Confluence. The pedi-cab will drop us off at the hotel.

Description: A charming hotel that upholds the Lyon tradition of hospitality and prestige with an ideal location, it is conveniently located in the center of town just a stone's throw from Lyon Perrache Main Train and Metro Stations. The Best Western Charlemagne Hotel offers a mix of modernity and tradition at the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône rivers.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Day Eight: Friday, October 31 - Lyon: The Gastronomic Capital of France

Note: Today's activities include use of the Lyon subway and tramway, with some unavoidable stairs. A visit to the markets of Lyon on foot includes walking on pavement and cobblestones for up to 1.5 hours.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will take a field trip to experience the food traditions of Lyon, known as “the stomach of France” on a walk through the market stalls frequented by local and restaurant chefs alike. Learn about the local ingredients, how they are used and the origins of regional customs.

Lunch: Sample a variety of Lyonnaise specialties, including wine, coffee, and tea.

Facility amenities: Laundry Service available 7 days a week Washing and drying 8 € for 6 kg.
Free Wi-Fi connection throughout the hotel.
Spa reserved for adults.
Shop with local specialties, tourist guides, and basic necessities.
Restaurant with a buffet breakfast and a dining area serving sandwiches and salads.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Day Nine: Saturday, November 01 - Aix-en-Provence

Note: Today's activities include a visit on foot to the village, which involves walking on pavement and cobblestones for up to 1.5 hours.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will depart by coach for Aix-en-Provence and then Arles.

Lunch: At a local restaurant in Aix-en-Provence.

Afternoon: Enjoy a walking tour to discover this historic city of Aix-en-Provence, the heart of Provence. Discover the old religious and civil districts around the cathedral and the city hall, XVII and XVIII century mansions façades and typical squares with their fountains and the Cours Mirabeau. We will then have a field trip and on-site lecture titled, "In the Footsteps of Cézanne." Explore the artist's birthplace and the landscape that inspired many of his paintings. Afterwards, we will continue on to Arles to check into the hotel.

Facility amenities: Laundry Service available 7 days a week Washing and drying 8 € for 6 kg.
Free Wi-Fi connection throughout the hotel.
Spa reserved for adults.
Shop with local specialties, tourist guides, and basic necessities.
Restaurant with a buffet breakfast and a dining area serving sandwiches and salads.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Day Ten: Sunday, November 02 - The Camargue

Note: Today's activities include a visit to the village on foot, which involves walking on pavement and cobblestones for up to 1.5 hours.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Learn about the traditions and history of the Camargue: France's Wild West. We will begin in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer with the mythical church and proceed away from the coast to better understand the Camargue's landscape and wildlife. Enjoy a field trip to the Ornithological Park, where you will have a chance to catch a glimpse of the marine birds that call this area home. Perhaps you will even sight the elusive pink flamingo!

Lunch: At Manade Cavallini, a typical ranch or bull farm located in the heart of the Camargue serving local specialties.

Afternoon: We will explore the manade and learn about daily life on the ranch, with its roots in the Camargue's traditions and history.

Facility amenities: Laundry Service available 7 days a week Washing and drying 8 € for 6 kg.
Free Wi-Fi connection throughout the hotel.
Spa reserved for adults.
Shop with local specialties, tourist guides, and basic necessities.
Restaurant with a buffet breakfast and a dining area serving sandwiches and salads.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Day Eleven: Monday, November 03 - Arles

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will have a lecture titled, "Arles: France's Roman Roots in the South of France." We will then take a walking tour of Arles to learn about the games enjoyed by the Romans in the amphitheater, a splendid and complex piece of architecture which still remains standing in the middle of the city.

Facility amenities: Laundry Service available 7 days a week Washing and drying 8 € for 6 kg.
Free Wi-Fi connection throughout the hotel.
Spa reserved for adults.
Shop with local specialties, tourist guides, and basic necessities.
Restaurant with a buffet breakfast and a dining area serving sandwiches and salads.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Day Twelve: Tuesday, November 04 - Avignon and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will depart by coach for Avignon, where we will explore the Medieval city on foot. There will be an optional tour to the Palais des Papes, where will have a chance to enjoy a walking tour to learn about the history of papacy in Avignon. If time allows, you can then invidually visit the Saint Benezet Bridge, known as "Le Pont d'Avignon" and made famous by the children's song. We will then continue by coach to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a Provençal village where Van Gogh spent the second to last year of his life, after being forced to leave Arles.

Lunch: At a local restaurant in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.

Afternoon: We will take a field trip to St. Paul de Mausole's hospital where Van Gogh was confined.

Morning: Departure by coach for Marseille International Airport (MRS). We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please be in touch via the Road Scholar Social Network, where you can share memories, pictures, and comments. Best wishes for all your journeys.

Important information about your itinerary: Please know that while we do everything we can to finalize all aspects of our programs well in advance, there are logistics that occasionally must be altered. Our website will reflect the most recent information, and we are committed to providing you with final program details no later than eight weeks prior to the start of programs outside the U.S. and three weeks prior to the start of programs within the U.S. If you ever have questions about your program, please don't hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to assist you.

Need Help?

The latest in light, portable, easy-to-use QUIETVOX listening devices are available on Road Scholar programs.* Whether you are outdoors, in a crowd or in a museum environment where speaking loudly is discouraged, a listening device makes it feel like our experts are speaking clearly and directly to you. Hear for yourself on a Road Scholar adventure!

*Please note that due to the nature of some programs, the remote location or government regulations, listening devices may not be available. If you’d like to know for sure if your program will offer listening devices, just call and ask an Advisor!